To afflict someone is to affect them in an unpleasant way and make them suffer.

To afflictAfflict（動詞） someone某人，is to affect them in an unpleasant way就是用讓人不舒服的方式影響他們，and make them suffer讓他們受苦。

Disease afflicts people. Drought afflicts a region. A fear can afflict someone for years.

Disease疾病 afflicts會 afflict people人。Drought乾旱 afflicts會 afflict a region一個地區。A fear恐懼 can afflict可能 afflict someone一個人 for years好幾年。

English likes the passive here: people are afflicted with an illness; a country is afflicted by war.

English英文 likes the passive here在這裡常用被動：people人 are afflicted with an illness會說 be afflicted with 疾病；a country一個國家 is afflicted by war會說 be afflicted by 戰爭。

It is a serious, rather formal verb. You would not usually say a small headache afflicted you this morning — that is too heavy for a passing trouble.

It is這是 a serious, rather formal verb一個嚴肅、算是正式的動詞。You would not usually say你通常不會說 a small headache afflicted you this morning「a small headache afflicted you this morning」（今天早上一個小頭痛 afflict 你）——that is too heavy for a passing trouble對一個很快就過去的小毛病來說，這個詞太重了。

Though actually, news writing still loves it for large, ongoing hurt, while everyday speech often prefers suffer from or be hit by. The old weight of the word is useful when the suffering is real and not small.

Though actually不過實際上，news writing still loves it新聞寫作還是很愛用這個詞 for large, ongoing hurt來講大規模、持續的傷害，while everyday speech日常說話 often prefers suffer from or be hit by則比較常用 suffer from 或 be hit by。when the suffering is real and not small當受的苦是真實而不小的時候，The old weight of the word這個詞原本的份量 is useful就派得上用場。